A Journey to the North
by Whynni
Summary: A love story of two hobbits in The Shire
1. Main Story

1.1.1 A Journey to the North  
  
1.2 A hobbit's Tale by  
  
2 Mariska van Dasselaar  
  
  
  
It was somewhere in the woods where a hobbit walked, a little bent forward and making little steps, not seeming to walk a certain way. It was the look on her face that showed how she was feeling and she seemed to look at nothing but the ground.  
  
Seeing only the blur of the world through the tears that didn't seem to stop, she walked on and on. Further and further she went and so the day passed until the sun went down the horizon. A black shadow fell leaving the woods as a black and dark place. For the stars couldn't be seen there and the moon was only one day old.  
  
And so this hobbit found herself in the dark forest and she eventually stopped walking; for she could see nothing but a few black shapes. Nothing was to be heard either, for hobbits move silently and the wind hardly blew. That made the forest as silent as it could be and she felt very uncomfortable, not being used to be so far from home and to be in such a dark place.  
  
At a certain moment she sat down against a tree and some branches cracked under her when she sat down, because branches were lying everywhere on the ground. The cracking sound left an echo in the forest and it was the only sound to be heard. She shivered but that wasn't just because it was getting cooler; the darkness frightened her and the silence did even more.  
  
She dried her face with the back of her hand for it was still wet of her tears and her face felt cold and she felt weary. And sitting there, making herself as small as she could by clinging her arms around her knees, she passed through the night. She couldn't sleep at first, but when the sun was coming up at last and some light shone through the leaves, she was finally able to fall asleep, feeling less frightened than in the dark.  
  
She couldn't remember where she were, waking up after some hours, but then she remembered; she had gotten lost in the forest the previous day, after leaving home. She also remembered why she had left home and the thought made her feel gloomy again. It was because she was to marry Dan Brandybuck, a rich hobbit from Buckland, who, she thought, was arrogant and only cared about himself. And so she really didn't want to marry him.  
  
It had been her parents' decision, for they thought that Dan would be a perfect partner for their daughter, although they could not sum up any reasons for that. She knew that it was because of Dan Brandybuck's wealth, but her parents kept denying that. And she wanted to choose a partner by herself for it was her own life and not that of her parents. She didn't care whether he was rich or not; as long as he cared for her and was nice and friendly.  
  
She had tried to convince her parents with the fact that she would not be happy with this particular hobbit, but they acted like they were deaf and didn't pay attention to what she really wanted. And that was exactly the reason why she had decided to leave the elder hobbit hole. She thought that she was old enough to control her own life, for she had come to age the previous year and she had enough knowledge of the things of life. And so she had left the hobbit hole with a little backpack, going off to make a journey to the north. And it was not her intention to come back.  
  
But so far her journey hadn't been very nice; she had passed over lonely lands and roads and she had gotten lost in this dark forest that seemed to be endless. And the food she'd taken with her wasn't much; only some bread and peaches, what wasn't enough for a journey she was intending to make. She already had to skip Second Breakfast and Elevenses.  
  
So there she sat against the tree, looking at the light that shone through the leaves of the trees and the whistling of birds was to be heard. Life seemed to have gotten back after the upcoming of the sun and she thought that it was also time for her to continue her life. She would continue her journey, wherever she was traveling to. She stood up from the ground and did some body exercises to move better, for she felt stiff from sitting in the same position all night. Then she pulled the rope out of her hair that had bound it together into a knot and now her long curly hair fell over her shoulders. It was long and beautiful and it almost reached her waist. It had almost the same color as her brown eyes and it made her have a round and beautiful face.  
  
Her name was Froda, Froda Took and she used to be a cheerful hobbit, never having a bad or somber mood. She was also funny and helpful and she seemed to have a gift of cheering people up who were sad or in a bad mood. Most hobbits found her sweet and lovely and that was exactly what she was. But here in the woods her mood had badly changed and she felt very somber and sad...  
  
And so she got her bag from the ground and put it on her back, where after she started walking into the direction of the sun, not able to remember from which direction she had come the previous day, for it had been really dark and everything had looked the same. And so she reached the end of the forest and she was glad to be under the sun again, that now stood high in the sky. It was getting warmer and it seemed that it was becoming a hot Summer day in The Shire. No clouds were to be seen and the sun made the top of her head feel warm.  
  
And so Froda walked on and on, sometimes having a little break in the grass and under the shadow of a tree. That was where she ate something and listened to the birds and other sounds of nature. But after hours of walking she got weary and she had reached some hills that took her more effort to walk. There were more trees now and the grass was greener than where she came from. No one seemed to live here for she had not seen a hobbit hole since she had left home.  
  
She wondered what her parents were doing and she thought that they were probably searching for her. They may think that she was dead or something, drowned in one of the streams, for she couldn't swim. The thought made her standing still for a moment. They hadn't deserved that, did they? To think that she was dead...? But then she shook her head and continued walking. They didn't care anyway and it was their own fault; she wouldn't have walked away if they had let her make her own decisions...  
  
And so she reached a place with green grass and lot's of trees. It looked nice and she thought that this would be a nice place to rest, for she was weary and she needed a covered place. She sat down in the grass between blue and yellow flowers and there she ate some bread and a peach. She sat comfortable under the shadow of the tree for it was not as hot there as it was in the sun. But the warmth made her sleepy and after having a little meal she laid herself down in the grass and she was soon asleep.  
  
Several hours had passed when she awoke and she felt that she had recovered strength and she was not as weary as she had been. It was late in the midday but the sun was still hot, what was normal for the time of the year. Sitting again, she wondered where she was going to sleep tonight, for she didn't like the idea of spending another night in a dark and creepy forest. That made her stand up and she got her backpack to continue her journey. But then she noticed something strange; in front of her she saw smoke rising from a tree, what she thought, was very unnatural, for she didn't see any flames. Curious as she was, she walked to the tree and as she came closer she suddenly saw what was causing the smoke; sitting in the tree there was a hobbit, a blue eyed hobbit with brown curly hair, sitting with comfort while smoking some pipe weed.  
  
He didn't notice her at first, but after some time he saw her approaching and he seemed to examine her with a curious glance until she stood near the tree. She looked at him in the same way for he was the first hobbit she saw after leaving home and she thought he was probably the same age as she was. He had vivid blue eyes and he looked very friendly to her. She thought it may be a good idea to ask him where she were...  
  
,,Hello, can you please tell me where in The Shire I am?" she asked, ,,For I do not know this place and I am not from this region."  
  
The hobbit climbed out of the tree and when he stood in front of her he answered:  
  
,,Hi, you are in Hobbiton." And he smiled at her. ,,Where are you from, if I may ask?"  
  
,,I am from Waymoot." She answered, ,,and I'm making a journey."  
  
Then she saw another hobbit approaching, one with blonde curly hair who was thicker than the hobbit she was talking to. In his hand he held a sack and he held some mushrooms in his other hand.  
  
,,Here, Frodo." He said when he had walked to the hobbit with dark hair. ,,I've found a lot of mushrooms on my way here. They seem to grow everywhere this time of the year." Then he noticed Froda and he smiled at her. ,,Hi there, who are you?" he asked, examining her just like the other hobbit had done.  
  
,,I am Froda, Froda Took." She answered and smiled back. ,,What are your names?"  
  
,,I am Samwise Gamgee." The blonde hobbit said,  
  
,,And my name is Frodo, son of Drogo." The dark haired hobbit told her, ,,Where are you journeying to?"  
  
,,Just some way to the north." She answered, ,,I would like to see more from the country."  
  
,,That's nice!" Sam said enthusiastic, ,,Frodo's uncle likes to make journeys too."  
  
Frodo nodded and then he took Sam's sack with mushrooms to look how many Sam had found.  
  
,,Wow! You've done your best, I see." He said and Sam look proudly at the sack.  
  
,,You may take some if you like." He proposed and Frodo took some mushrooms. He also gave some to Froda who accepted them thankful. She hadn't eaten much and mushrooms were her favorite food.  
  
,,They are very good." She concluded, after eating some and they ate some more together.  
  
,,So, have you traveled all day?" Sam asked after a while and she nodded.  
  
,,I've walked a lot with only a few breaks." She confirmed and Frodo studied her.  
  
,,You must be weary then." He concluded and she nodded, ,,And you are probably thirsty too with this hot weather."  
  
,,I am." She confirmed, ,,I haven't drunken a lot today."  
  
,,Would you like to have tea at my uncle's place?" Frodo asked and Froda thought this sounded really good. These hobbits seemed to be very friendly and so she accepted the offer. They took her to Bag End, a hobbit hole under the hill and it was the hole where Frodo lived with his uncle Bilbo. There they had tea together with cake that was home-made by Bilbo.  
  
When they drank their tea in the kitchen the late midday sun shone through the little window and the place was full of sunlight. They sat around the wooden table and Froda looked around with interest for there were a lot of nice treasures in this place which she had never seen before. Those were probably souvenirs, she thought, taken from far places by uncle Bilbo who liked to travel. The hobbit hole also looked like it was very comfortable. It was very big, almost twice the size than the hobbit hole of her parents and she concluded that these hobbits were probably very rich and of a high class. Her parents were only middle class.  
  
,,So you are a Took then." Frodo said , ,,I know one other Took. His name is Peregrine. Do you know him?"  
  
,,Yes, I know him." She answered, ,,He is one of my cousins and we usually call him Pippin." She looked surprised. ,,Do you know him then?"  
  
,,He is a friend of mine." Frodo confirmed after he nodded, ,,He comes to visit me regularly."  
  
He offered Froda another piece of cake and she took it thankful.  
  
,,Pippin likes to journey but he has never told me about where he travels to." She said, eating the cake. ,,Funny that you know him too."  
  
,,The Shire isn't that big." Sam said and then he stood up, ,,I have to go now for I still need to finish a garden today."  
  
,,I will see you later, Sam." Frodo said, nipping from his tea.  
  
,,Sure." Sam said, ,,And it was nice to meet you, Froda."  
  
,,It was nice to meet you too." Froda said, smiling.  
  
Then he left and Frodo told her that Sam worked in their garden too. And so they chatted about the garden and after a while an older hobbit entered the kitchen, looking surprised at Froda.  
  
Froda thought he looked very friendly and she concluded that this would be Bilbo, Frodo's uncle.  
  
,,Hello there." The hobbit greeted her, ,,I am Bilbo, Frodo's uncle. And you are...?"  
  
,,Froda, Froda Took." She introduced herself, ,,and I'm from Waymoot."  
  
,,Oh, that's a very nice place!" Bilbo said enthusiastic and he took a cup of tea for himself and some cake.  
  
,,Froda is making a journey to the north." Frodo told him, ,,She likes to travel." He smiled at Froda and she was really starting to like this hobbit; he was so kind and so friendly...  
  
,,How nice!" Bilbo said and he sat down on one of the wooden chairs, ,,I've made some nice journey's myself. Would you like to hear about my journey to The Lonely Mountain?"  
  
,,Sure I would like to." Froda said and so he told her about his travels and he told her the full story of his journey with the dwarves to The Lonely Mountain. And Froda was glad, for she was between two nice hobbits who seemed to enjoy her company very much. And when it was time for dinner, Bilbo cooked something delicious for the three of them, for he had insisted that she would have dinner with them so they could talk some more about traveling. And Froda was happy to have met such nice hobbits and she felt really comfortable at Bag End.  
  
During dinner Bilbo asked her where particularly she was traveling to...  
  
,,I don't have a real goal to travel to." She admitted, eating some potatoes. ,,but I very much like to see some nature and some villages I have never seen before. This place looks very nice to me and I would really like to explore the village."  
  
,,Hobbiton is a nice place indeed." Frodo agreed and he told her about the hobbits that lived in it and how friendly they were. ,,But I don't know how Hobbiton is, compared to Waymoot."  
  
,,I hope to find that out." Froda said, looking into his blue eyes.  
  
,,I can show you around a bit tomorrow if you'd like to." He proposed, what, she thought, sounded great.  
  
,,That would be great!" she said, smiling at him, ,,For you know the way and the places that are nice to see."  
  
,,I sure do." Frodo confirmed, ,,I'll be your guide then."  
  
Then Bilbo asked Froda if she already had a place to sleep and she told him that she was thinking about staying in an Inn, if there was one in the neighborhood.  
  
,,There sure is." Bilbo confirmed, ,,but wouldn't you rather stay here? We've got room enough."  
  
Froda and Frodo both looked surprised and Froda thought that he was so friendly!  
  
,,Well yes, I would very much like to stay here." She said honesty, ,,But would it not be a problem? For you hardly know me..."  
  
,,Of course not." Bilbo said, ,,We've got room enough. And I don't like the idea of letting you sleep in an Inn."  
  
,,Indeed." Frodo said then, smiling at her, ,,And you aren't really a stranger for me, for you are the niece of Pippin. And you are nice company to have here."  
  
That made her grin widely and she thought how much she liked it to be in the company of these two hobbits. And so it was decided that she would stay the night at Bag End, being the company of such a friendly people. And she was in very good hands, the thought, and Bilbo gave her some more mushrooms for dinner. She accepted them gratefully for it was her favorite food and she ate them until she was full. Frodo and Bilbo liked to see her eating so healthy.  
  
And after dinner Frodo showed her the room where she could sleep and Bilbo prepared a bath for her. And so, she thought, she was received well and these hobbits took really good care of her. The bath was great and she spent a long time in it, relaxing. And when she finally came out of the tub she left her weariness in it and she felt renewed.  
  
She chose a red dress from the few clothes she had taken with her and she put it on. It made her look beautiful, letting the contours of her body come out perfectly. And on her neck she bore a blue stone that she always bore with her, for it was precious to her. She thought it gave her a good fortune...  
  
Like this she entered the living area where Frodo was sitting at the fire place and he looked up, watching her in amazement, for he thought that she looked even more beautiful. She came to sit in a chair next to him near the fire place. It was already warm but hobbits like to use a fire place to sit around and spend the evening telling each other stories.  
  
Frodo seemed to blush a little when she smiled at him and he wasn't able to take his eyes off her, thinking that she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his life. And Froda thought that he had such beautiful eyes; vivid blue, the same color as the stone she bore. And his face was round and beautiful; no line was visible and he just looked so cute when he smiled at her. And when he sat there in the light of the fire place it made her feel warm from inside...  
  
Frodo was speechless for a while because of her appearance, but after a while he managed to ask her if she would like to have a drink.  
  
,,I would love to." She accepted and he went to the kitchen to get some wine.  
  
When he got back Bilbo came to sit with them too for he had been writing in his study and wanted to drink something too. And they spent the rest of the evening around the fire place, telling each other lot's of stories.  
  
Bilbo told her about the book he was writing and that it was about his journey to The Lonely Mountain. And Froda told him that she usually wrote songs and poems and it was her greatest hobby. Then Frodo asked her to sing something and she sang a beautiful song and her voice was full of passion and emotion. It impressed Frodo and Bilbo so much that they were silent for a while when she had finished her song. And after that they told her that it was beautiful and that she had such a beautiful voice.  
  
Froda felt really good between these hobbits and she forgot all about her parents and especially Dan Brandybuck, who she had to marry. She wished that she could stay here forever...  
  
And as they chatted Bilbo asked her about the blue stone around her neck.  
  
,,Do you know what it means?" he asked and she shook her head.  
  
,,No, does it mean something then?"  
  
,,Such stones are made by Elves." Bilbo told her, ,,And this one sure has a meaning."  
  
,,What does it mean then?" she asked, thinking about how she had gotten the stone from her mother.  
  
,,This stone stays for love." Bilbo answered, ,,Elves give it to each other to declare their love before they wed. Funny you have one."  
  
,,I didn't know about that." Froda said surprised, ,,My mother gave it to me when I was very little. I have never met Elves in my life." She wondered how her mother had gotten the stone and if she knew anything about its meaning. She probably didn't. And then the conversation went about Elves for Bilbo seemed to know very much about them and he enjoyed telling her about them. And so it was very late when they went to bed and wished each other a good night.  
  
Froda slept well that night and she dreamt about nice Summer days in a place with green grass and a lot of flowers. There were nice hobbits in her dreams who were all very friendly and nice to her; everything seemed perfect.  
  
It was late in the morning when Frodo woke her up and she thought she had slept really well that night. After refreshing herself she and Frodo had a great meal together; a combination of Breakfast, Second Breakfast and Elevenses. And after that they departed to explore the village. Frodo showed her all the nice places and she came to the conclusion that Hobbiton was a really nice place to be, much nicer than Waymoot. And the people she met were friendly and kind and she thought that Frodo was the greatest hobbit she had ever met. And Samwise Gamgee was also a very nice hobbit; she met him again when he was busy in someone's garden and they chatted a bit.  
  
That evening Frodo took her to the Green Dragon Inn and Sam was there too with some friends. The hobbits had a great evening together and it was early in the morning when Frodo took her home, for they had forgotten all about the time. They were both drunk of too much beer but they eventually managed to arrive at Bag End.  
  
And so Froda stayed more days in Hobbiton, enjoying the company of Frodo and his friends and his uncle Bilbo. Of course she was invited to Bilbo's birth day party, what was also Frodo's birth day.  
  
At the evening of the party she wore her red dress and her long dark hair fell over her shoulders and Frodo thought she looked beautiful again. And he took her hand to take her to the party:  
  
,,May I accompany you to the party?" he asked and as she looked into his blue eyes she of course accepted and they walked together to the garden where it was already full with hobbits and tables with lot's of food. Music was played and hobbits were dancing and making fun and Bilbo was greeting his guests with a warm smile.  
  
,,There you two are." He laughed when Frodo and Froda walked to him and Froda congratulated him on his birth day. Then someone came along with drinks and they took some ale and after that Sam joined them.  
  
,,It's a really nice party as usual." He commented, ,,And I see there are lot's of mushrooms!"  
  
Frodo laughed because of Sam's addiction to mushrooms and they got a plate to eat some. But then Sam suddenly didn't seem interested in mushrooms anymore for a pretty hobbit girl had entered his vision and he seemed in a swoon, watching every step she made, forgetting everything around him.  
  
,,That's Rosie Cotton." Frodo explained while they sat down in the grass with their plates, ,,Sam has got a big crush on her."  
  
,,You can say that!" Froda said grinning, ,,He's almost staring the beauty off her."  
  
They finished their plates and after that they danced with the other hobbits and Sam eventually managed to ask Rosie for a dance. It was a funny sight, for Sam couldn't dance but Rosie did not seem to care and she smiled at him with warmth.  
  
And after dancing, eating and drinking a lot, Froda and Frodo found a quiet place on the other side of the hill. And there they sat hand in hand, watching the stars together with the light of the full moon shining on their faces. The music and other sounds of the party could still be heard in the background and as they held each other's hand they got closer to each other.  
  
,,You're so sweet..." Frodo whispered to her and he smiled at her with a warm expression on his face. It made her feel warm from inside and she felt like she were in a swoon. ,,Do you know how you warm my heart?" he asked her and she in return touched his face with her hand and she felt her heart beating loud, like it had never done before. Then she bent to him and kissed him, her soft lips touching his face and he softy kissed her back. And in these kisses they poured their love for each other and it was like the unloading of a great tension. And there under the lighting of the moon they held each other closely, feeling their hearts beating loud.  
  
Froda had never felt so happy before in her life and she wanted this moment to take forever and she wanted their love never to end. Sitting there she shared her feelings with him and they talked quietly while the party went on, being more interested in each other than in the party.  
  
And when all the guests had gone home Bilbo found them together, sitting against the hill and he smiled at the sight of those two happy hobbits. Of course he had seen this coming and he was very happy for them. He was glad that it was Froda for he thought she was very kind and nice company to have around.  
  
But on the other hand he wondered why Froda never spoke about her parents and her other family, except for her cousin Pippin. And he wondered what her future plans were according to her journey. He didn't speak about these things but when the days passed Froda was beginning to think about those things herself and she wondered how her family was doing and what they might think about her departure.  
  
She was also beginning to feel guilty for she hadn't told a thing about all that to Frodo. They had really nice days together, spending time walking through the woods and talking about lot's of things and they got to know each other pretty well. And at a certain day she decided that she should better tell him everything, but just when we was going to tell him, something happened...  
  
Froda was just sitting in the garden when someone knocked on the front door and it was Frodo who went to look for who was there. When he opened the door he saw a sturdy looking hobbit with blonde hair standing before him, looking some years older than he was. The hobbit was also much taller and he was obviously looking down to Frodo.  
  
,,Hello there, what can I do for you?" Frodo asked politely, not knowing who this hobbit was.  
  
,,You may bring me my fiancée," the hobbit said, ,,for I have heard she dwells in his hobbit hole lately."  
  
Frodo looked confused and surprised for he did not know what he meant.  
  
,, There is no female here who is engaged to you." He said then, ,,You must be mistaken."  
  
,,I have not come to the wrong hobbit hole." The hobbit assured him, ,,for this is Bag End and my dear Froda should be here. I am Dan Brandybuck and I am here to collect her for the wedding."  
  
,,The what...?!" Frodo managed to say, being overwhelmed and confused at the same time, ,,You... you are wrong, go away. I don't believe a thing of what you say."  
  
He closed the door and walked to the living room, hearing Dan muttering from the other side of the door. Froda just walked in, first smiling, but then she looked concerned for Frodo was looking really troubled. And when she asked him what was wrong he told her about who he had just seen and what he had said and that it couldn't be true.  
  
But Froda, who felt like she almost couldn't breathe, said nothing, for she couldn't say a word and she felt tears coming up.  
  
Frodo looked hurt. ,,It isn't true, is it?" he almost whispered and his voice sounded hoarse and he had tears in his eyes, ,,It can't be true, for you have lied to me then..."  
  
Froda felt like the world around her was collapsing and that everything was becoming in ruin now; their love and the beautiful time they'd had together and as she looked at him she felt tears streaming over her cheeks. And through the blur or her tears she saw the hurt expression on his face and she sought words to say but couldn't find any.  
  
She sat down on the couch, weeping and after a while she tried to tell him the whole story.  
  
,,It is true." She whispered, ,,I should marry him, but I do not love him."  
  
Frodo came to sit beside her, still with the same expression on his face. And he listened to what she had to say.  
  
,,My parents decided this and that is why I left Waymoot." She continued, ,,I don't want to marry Dan Brandybuck for I will never love him." More tears rolled over her cheeks and she started sobbing. ,,I can't change my parents' decision, Frodo. And I obviously can't fly from it either..."  
  
Frodo shook his head, still in unbelief for all that he had heard, but he knew in his heart that it was true, no matter how much he wanted that it wasn't true. And he didn't know if he should be angry, sad or disappointed.  
  
,,You should have told me this." He whispered, ,,for then I would have avoided you."  
  
,,But then we wouldn't have fallen in love." Froda wept, ,,and we wouldn't have had such a great time together."  
  
,,Falling in love with you I did from the first time I met you." He told her, ,,Nothing in Middle Earth could have stopped that. But the pain would have been less."  
  
And with these words he stood up and left the room for he needed some time for himself, to think about what had happened. And Froda was left alone on the couch, still sobbing and wishing that what had happened had never happened. But of course she knew it couldn't be changed and that she should have told Frodo before. And that couldn't be changed either...  
  
She was still there when Bilbo entered and he found her upset and he tried to calm her down. Then she told him what had happened and he wasn't surprised, for he'd already had the feeling that something wasn't right about why she had left home. But he hadn't doubted the love between her and Frodo.  
  
,,Maybe I should better leave." Froda proposed, but Bilbo shook his head and he brought her to her room so she could calm down and think.  
  
There she stayed the rest of the day, feeling horrible and upset, thinking of a solution but she couldn't find one. The problem was too big and she eventually fell asleep with wet cheeks.  
  
Frodo stayed in his room too, also lying on his bed, feeling like he had just been pierced with a million knifes. When Bilbo came in they spoke together for a long time, but they couldn't find a solution either. And Frodo hadn't any hope that it was going to be all right.  
  
That evening Bilbo prepared dinner and Frodo went to Froda's room, but she was fast asleep and he stood there in the entrance, watching her. She was breathing softly and a string of her dark curly hair hung over her face. Frodo hated the thought of her and Dan Brandybuck together and he wished he was the one to marry her...  
  
After a while Bilbo came to get him for dinner and they let Froda asleep for she probably needed it. And Frodo didn't like the idea of the three of them having dinner together after what had happened. He ate in silence for he had a horrible mood and when someone knocked on the door Bilbo went to open it.  
  
When he opened the door he saw two hobbits standing in the entrance, probably of the same age as himself. He greeted them, already having a feeling about who they could be...  
  
,,Hello, we are here to claim back our daughter, Froda." The female hobbit said and Bilbo thought he had guessed right; they were obviously Froda's parents.  
  
,,Here fiancé has been here already but was rudely sent away." The male hobbit filled in, ,,And now we need to talk to Froda."  
  
Bilbo nodded and went to get her, but she was already walking to the door for she had just woken up. She glanced at Frodo who had come to the door too and she sighed for she thought this was probably the last time they saw each other...  
  
,,Hello...mum, dad." She greeted her parents, who entered the hobbit hole and she felt that she had started trembling. This wasn't going to be a very nice conversation, she thought.  
  
,,Well, Froda." Her mother started, ,,You've had your holiday long enough now. The time has now come to return home and come with us." She sounded resolute and in a way like she'd better obey.  
  
,,You will marry Dan Brandybuck." Her father insisted with a cold voice, ,,You should be grateful for that."  
  
,,I won't be grateful for ruining my life." Froda whispered, looking at the ground, ,,but I will come home if that is what I must."  
  
,,You will have a good and wealthy life marrying Dan." Her mother spoke and she pulled Froda to the door. ,,Come, there is so much we still have to arrange for the wedding."  
  
,,I would like to say goodbye first." Froda said and she walked back to Frodo, feeling the tears in her eyes. She saw the sad look he had on his face and it made her heart break in pieces.  
  
Then, without her parents seeing it, she took the blue Elven stone out of her pocket and she held it in her hand. Then she took Frodo's hand and held it in her hands, looking into his eyes.  
  
,,I am sorry, Frodo." She whispered, ,,I am so sorry..." She felt her tears streaming over her face. ,,I'm so sorry for letting you go through all this..."  
  
And then he held her in his arms closely, but only for a few seconds for Froda's father pulled his daughter roughly away and pushed her to the door entrance.  
  
,,We are going to have a long conversation about this when we are home." He assured her and the anger could be read from his face.  
  
,,You shouldn't treat her so roughly." Bilbo said, feeling pity for the girl,  
  
,,And you should mind your own business!" the man cried out in return and after that he pulled Froda outside, followed by her mother, who looked like they had done this well.  
  
There were two ponies outside and Froda was set on one of them for she couldn't climb up herself, still weeping. Her father came to sit behind her and so they rode away in the darkness of the evening. And as Frodo saw them disappear in the dark he wept too, standing by the door. Then Bilbo closed it and sighed aloud, watching Frodo with pity.  
  
Frodo had never felt so awful in his life and he thought that he had lost this girl forever, his beautiful Froda who was always so sweet and kind, who could sing with so much passion and emotion like no one else could. The only girl he had ever opened his heart to... And now he wouldn't see her again, nor hold her or kiss her.  
  
Standing there he suddenly realized that he was holding something in his hand. And when he looked at it he saw that it was the chain with the blue Elven stone, the stone that declared love forever. He held it close in his hands for it was the only piece of Froda that he had left and he carried it with him ever since.  
  
Froda's journey home was a dark road through a land where no one lives but she didn't remember much of the surroundings afterwards. She kept weeping the first part of the journey and when she didn't weep she was asleep. She felt like she was going to the shadow and that she would never come out of it again. At that moment she wouldn't have cared if she would have fallen death. And when they were finally in Waymoot again she disappeared in her room to continue weeping.  
  
The felt desperate the next days and a gloom of sadness had come over her. She didn't laugh anymore and she hardly spoke a word. And the only meals she took were Luncheon and Dinner. All day her thoughts were with Frodo and she missed him terribly; his soft words, his kindness, his cute smile and the way he could look at her with those blue eyes... Her heart was in pieces for she would never see him again, the only person she had ever loved in her life. And she knew she would never love anyone else but him.  
  
The worst part of being home again was that Dan was staying there too and he was hanging around her all the time. There wasn't much she could do about that and she started to ignore him and she didn't help to prepare the wedding. It wasn't her wedding, it was the wedding of her parents, she thought. They wanted her to marry so they had to arrange it. She didn't even care what color her dress would be...  
  
At a certain day her mother came to her room and asked her where the blue Elven stone was for she knew about its meaning.  
  
,,Froda, where is the blue Elven stone you used to bear?" she asked her, ,,I gave it to you when you were very little, remember? You should give it to your fiancé."  
  
,,It is where my heart is." Froda answered, looking in the distance.  
  
,,Tell me, where is it." Her mother urged, ,,It is meant to give to the one you are to marry. You should give it to Dan."  
  
,,I left both my heart and stone in Hobbiton." Froda whispered, still not looking at her mother. Then she stood up and wanted to walk away, but her mother pulled her back, suddenly looking very angry.  
  
,,You left it there?!" she cried out and she pushed Froda and after that she slapped her in the face. ,,You fool!" she yelled and then she left, leaving Froda with her hand on her face and her cheek started to turn red. She was shocked, for her mother had never slapped her before and it made her weep again.  
  
And her mother told Dan about the stone for she thought he should have it. The stone was very important for her, for she believed in its meaning. And so Dan decided that he was going to get it back and he left without Froda's knowledge of what he was planning to do. And she didn't care for where he went anyway; she was glad that he went and that she had some time for herself. The wedding was in about a week so she only had a little time left as an unmarried girl.  
  
It was a cloudy day in Hobbiton when Frodo sat in the garden, watching Sam as he was cutting the verbs. He didn't say much for he had lost the liking of talking after Froda had left. He missed her every day and he was often sitting somewhere in the garden or somewhere in the woods, lost in thoughts.  
  
Sam looked at him and he was concerned about his Master for he had changed so much since Froda had left and he didn't seem to regain his old habits again. The cheerful mood Frodo used to be in seemed to be gone forever and he usually walked around with a concerned expression on his face. Sam thought this wasn't good for him, his poor Master...  
  
Just when he wanted to talk to Frodo someone knocked on the front door. Frodo seemed to come back to the reality and stood up to walk to the door. Bilbo wasn't home; he was gone to visit some family.  
  
When he opened the front door he was surprised and shocked at the same time: Before him was standing Dan Brandybuck and he wondered what he was doing there. But then the part came that shocked him; in his hand he was holding a blade and he had a fierce and angry expression on his face. Frodo instinctively stepped a few paces back.  
  
,,What do you want?" he asked, feeling threatened, ,,Froda is not here. She's in Waymoot, isn't she?"  
  
,,Give me the Elven stone!" Dan commanded, pointing the blade at Frodo who automatically went backward another few paces. ,,It belongs to me now!"  
  
He just wanted to grab for it when Sam came from behind with a gardening implement and hit him on his head.  
  
,,There!" he said confidently, ,,Don't ever point that thing on my Master again!" Dan was lying unconsciousness before the front door so he didn't hear what Sam said.  
  
Frodo was still shocked and he looked with big blue eyes at the corpse lying on the stairs before the entrance. He could have been killed by that blade...  
  
,,Are you all right, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked his Master and he nodded, looking thankful at Sam.  
  
,,Thank you Sam. We must get the Shirriffs to turn him in."  
  
And so it came to pass that Dan was arrested and put into prison for trying to steal with force. But Froda knew nothing about this at all and she saw that her mother was beginning to worry about him.  
  
,,Where has he gone?" she asked her, ,,Isn't he supposed to get back for the wedding?" Her mother looked at her.  
  
,,Of course he is." She snarled, ,,And you are going to get him. He has gone to Hobbiton, a place you seem to know pretty well." Froda looked surprised and she wondered what he was doing there. ,,You must find your fiancé and you shall marry him." She urged, ,,Go now!"  
  
And so Froda took off on a pony and rode through the green grass to Hobbiton. She actually felt like she was going home and memories came back of her first journey to Hobbiton. It was almost as warm as it had been that day and the sky was blue with only a few clouds.  
  
She was happy to be on a pony; she didn't get tired and it was much faster than walking. After some hours she arrived at Hobbiton and she came to the same place where she had met Frodo. She stopped there and saw someone sitting in the tree, but it wasn't Frodo. It was Sam and he recognized her, climbing down and she got off her pony.  
  
,,Hi there Sam." She greeted him, ,,Nice to see you again." He smiled at her.  
  
,,Nice to see you too." He said, ,,Frodo told me what has happened between you and him. I think it's so sad."  
  
,,Yes, I wish the things were different..." she sighed, looking sad.  
  
,,But haven't you heard it then?" he asked surprised, ,,Haven't you heard that Dan is in prison?"  
  
,,What?!" she cried out surprised, but then she felt joy coming up. ,,Is he in prison? But why?"  
  
,,He tried to steal something from Frodo." Sam told her, ,,And he had a blade with him." Froda looked shocked.  
  
,,A blade?!"  
  
,,Yes", Sam confirmed, ,,but I've saved Frodo by hitting Dan and then the Shirriffs came."  
  
,,Good that he is in prison now." Froda said, ,,And now I understand. Thanks for telling me this, Sam."  
  
,,It's all right." Sam said while she climbed back on her pony, ,,Do what you must do now. And good luck."  
  
,,Thank you! And see you later!"  
  
She rode further and after a while she reached Bag End where she jumped off the pony. More memories came back now and she stood still for some time, watching the front door. She sighed and walked to the door and knocked on it. She felt a little nervous, rapidly putting her hair straight for she wanted to look good.  
  
It was Bilbo who opened the door and he greeted her friendly, as always. He was surprised to see her again but also glad.  
  
,,Frodo is in the living room." He told her as she entered the hobbit hole, ,,It's nice to see you again by the way."  
  
,,Thank you, Bilbo." She said and walked to the living room and there she met Frodo again. He was sitting on the couch, reading a book, but when he saw her enter the room he rapidly laid his book away and stood up, watching her in amazement.  
  
,,Froda..." he whispered and she saw he bore the blue Elven stone around his neck and that he still looked so nice and cute. His blue eyes were as blue as the Elven stone and his brown curls fell perfectly around his face. And his lips... She felt like kissing him when she saw him standing in front of her. But she didn't do it.  
  
,,My mother told me to find my fiancé and marry him. But Dan is in prison." She said, ,,And I think I am to marry to one who bears my Elven stone for the stone stays for love. And I should marry the one I love."  
  
She looked into his blue eyes and he looked at her with love, but he didn't seem to find any words to say. And so he embraced her, holding her close in his arms and Froda felt like everything was going to be fine, feeling the happiness coming back. They kissed each other deeply and kept telling each other how much they had missed each other.  
  
,,I didn't think I would see you again." Frodo admitted, as they stood against each other, stroking her cheek with his hand. ,,I felt so desperate, you know."  
  
,,Me too..." she whispered, ,,Hope we can stay together now." She looked into his eyes and kissed him, ,,I love you."  
  
,,I love you too, honey."  
  
And so it came to pass that Froda moved in at Bag End with Frodo and his uncle Bilbo. And after some time Frodo wedded her on a beautiful Summer day in Hobbiton and her journey had finally come to an end.  
  
They were happy together and so was Bilbo for he had always liked Froda very much and he thought that she was perfect for Frodo.  
  
Froda never returned to Waymoot again and she only kept in touch with her cousin Pippin, who came to visit them every week. She never saw Dan again and when he came out of prison he returned to his own family where he eventually wedded a girl he didn't even love.  
  
So far goes the tale of Froda and her journey, for she was happy for the rest of her life.  
  
THE END 


	2. A missing scene

Time: Some time after Bilbo's birthday party.  
  
As Froda was sitting in her room she thought happily about the nice evening she and Frodo had had in the Green Dragon Inn, sitting hand in hand in a corner among friends. They'd all been friendly to her and she got the feeling that they really liked her, asking her about her journey and being interested in her and her interests.  
  
Some people had said that she and Frodo formed a nice couple, something that had really made her smile! And she totally agreed with their opinion; they were a nice couple! Frodo was perfect for her and much better than Dan. She hoped that she would never have to see Dan again; he had sometimes looked at her in a way she couldn't stand, as if he would go to her and make out with her on the spot. She didn't dare to think of what he would do to her if she would refuse him.  
  
The thought of sharing bed with Dan made her feel sick; she'd never wanted that! She wanted her first time to be nice and romantic with someone she loved. She would never love Dan and she would do anything to prevent sharing bed with him.  
  
Sitting on her bed she thought she wasn't tired enough to sleep and too many thoughts were making her mind busy, thinking. She and Frodo had been very close this evening and she'd seen the way he looked at her; with love and care and it had made her all melted over. She knew she loved him and she knew he was the one she wanted to be her first. And she was ready for him, she knew. And he was ready for her too.  
  
She dressed herself in a white little night dress and it stood her lovely as her long curly hair fell over the silken fabric. After one last look into the mirror she took a candle and walked out of her room.  
  
It was after midnight and Bilbo was probably fast asleep, snoring and unable to hear any noises. She quietly walked to Frodo's room, in a way only hobbits could walk. She noticed that there still came some light from under his door and he wasn't asleep yet. She felt her heart beating louder and she also felt a bit nervous, wondering what would happen when she went into that room. Standing before his door she sighed and quietly knocked on his door.  
  
A few seconds later Frodo opened the door; he was already in his nightwear and looked surprised and delighted at the same time when he saw her, watching her as she stood there in her white little nightdress.  
  
'Hi sweetie, you can't sleep?' She met his vivid blue eyes and smiled, for she melted again under his kindly gaze. 'I felt a bit alone, there in my room.' She explained and she softly touched his cheek. He took her hand and held it in his hands, rubbing it softly and it seemed that he was considering something, looking both happy and concerned. But Froda kept smiling at him and after a while he softly pulled her in his room. 'Come here then.' He said, 'I rather won't be alone either.'  
  
She placed herself on his bed and Frodo went to light some more candles. His little room looked cozy and Froda always liked to be there. When Frodo was finished lighting the candles he came to sit beside her on the bed, putting his arm around her and caressing her arm. He looked at her in that way again; like she was everything for him and as if he would hold her and never let her go. It made the butterflies in her tummy jump and she felt the same way; she wanted to hold him and never let him go. She wanted to be with him, always, and share everything. And this night she had the need to give herself away; she wanted him to touch her, to feel her body and share it all with him. And she wanted to touch him as well.  
  
She looked deep into his sapphire eyes and again she thought how beautiful they were. And his face, his skin, it was like silk, so soft. She often touched his face, just to feel how soft it was, different from most lads. And his hair was full and soft and she loved to stroke her hands through his curls. She touched his lips with her finger and moved her hand to his hair, caressing it while she moved her face to his mouth and their lips met. Their kisses were sweet and tender and they cuddled against each other, while she kept caressing his hair.  
  
After a while their kisses went deeper and more passionate and she felt that he kept holding her closer and closer against him, moving his hands over her body, exploring her shoulders, back and hips. She moved her hands over his shoulders to the buttons of his blouse and she undid some of them to expose a bit more of his soft skin, as she entered his blouse with her hand. She touched the skin of his chest and it felt like silk and she wondered again about how soft it was.  
  
But then Frodo stopped kissing her and looked her in the eyes, a bit concerned, but she saw it took him a lot of effort not to go on. 'Frodo.' she whispered, 'I want you.' She kept touching his soft silken skin. 'Sweet Froda. Dear girl.' He said and he kissed her forehead and after that her hair and he held her head against his chest and Froda closed her eyes, feeling secure with his arms around her. 'I want you too.' He whispered, 'But are you sure you want this? Isn't it too early?' She pulled back a little so she could look into his blue eyes. 'I really want this.' She whispered, 'More than anything else in the world. I feel so much for you, I don't want to live without you; you're everything for me and I want to share this with you.'  
  
She kissed him deeply, exploring, moving her tongue through his mouth and he kissed her back, exploring her body with his hands, feeling her soft skin through her white dress. And as he moved his hands down he felt her thighs and the opening of her dress, moving his hands under it, feeling her bare skin. She breathed deep as she felt him moving up, shoving her dress up as well, to her neck. He paused kissing her so he could pull her dress over her head to get rid of the piece of clothing.  
  
Froda never wore a bra under her nightwear so the only thing she now wore were her panties. She looked into Frodo's beautiful eyes and he gave her a sweet little kiss on her left cheek, moving his mouth to her neck, tickling her with his lips. She giggled and gasped, unable to proceed to uncloth her lover, feeling weak from the tickling. He laid her on her back on the sheets of the bed and started kissing her mouth again and Froda undid the rest of his buttons till she could pull his white blouse from his body and continue exploring his body.  
  
She touched his nipples with her fingers and felt the skin around it and she pulled him above her, feeling a hardness against her leg. She gasped as she suddenly felt his mouth moving down to her neck again, feeling the tickling again, where after he continued his way to her breast, kissing the soft skin around her nipples, making her body tingle all over. He made his hand explore even lower till he reached the area between her thighs, where he stopped descending to explore.  
  
Froda made a moaning noise when he moved his fingers, trying to find a place where he could enter her, forgetting the piece of cloth she still wore. As he stroked her there, Froda managed to pull Frodo's pants out and continued undoing him of his underpants, revealing his private parts and Frodo undid her of her underwear too, gasping as Froda stroked with her hand over his balls, moving to his hardness.  
  
She held his member in her hand and started massaging it and she felt that Frodo entered her with his fingers at the same time, feeling her inside and finding a sensitive spot. Her body shuddered and she moaned, kissing Frodo's hair and moving her hand over his member.  
  
Frodo moved his tongue over her nipples and she felt like she couldn't hold it any longer. They were both gasping and she thought that Frodo couldn't hold it for long either. 'Frodo. please.' she gasped, 'I want it to happen.' He pulled his finger out of her to make place for something else and Froda guided him to her entrance. 'Please tell me. if it hurts.' Frodo whispered, 'I'll stop right away when it hurts.' 'I will tell you.' She promised and she spread her legs a little wider as he positioned himself to enter her. Then he softly entered her and it didn't hurt; it only felt a bit weird in the beginning and she was surprised of how deep he went in. But then it felt like the most wonderful thing and they both made moaning noises as they started moving against each other and their mouths met again, kissing deeply, licking each other's lips.  
  
Froda felt her body shudder and tingling as they built up a rhythm and they both didn't notice that the bed had started to make noises as well. The pleasure increased as they moved faster until they both shuddered as they made their way to their climax, gasping and moving their hands around their lover's body until a heavy sensation came. Frodo groaned and Froda wondered for a short time whether Bilbo could have heard that or not, but then she moaned as well, getting her climax and feeling warm moisture entering her body when Frodo came.  
  
When the pleasure had finished they kept lying still for a few minutes, enjoying the touch of their bodies against each other and the rest that had come over them. Then Frodo put his member out of her and looked her in the eyes. 'Dear Froda.' he whispered, 'My dear girl.' and he kissed her forehead. 'Frodo.' she said, 'I love you. I love you so much.' She stroked his cheek, staring in those kind blue eyes. 'Froda, dear sweetie. I love you too.' he whispered and he softly kissed her on her mouth, where after he blew out the candles and laid his head on her shoulder and she held him in her arms. And as they laid this way they fell asleep, both feeling happy. 


End file.
